Royal canal

Nothing at all to do with cycling, but if you're passing the Royal canal anywhere between Maynooth and Dublin in the next 2 days and you see a small white cruiser called Funky Duck piloted by a mad woman with luminous red hair give a shout of encouragement. It's my sister Nuala nearing the end of an epic journey the length of the canal from the Shannon to the Liffey.

The Royal canal has almost no traffic on it and is not well maintained so the journey has been pretty challenging. They've run aground, had to get in the water to clear rubbish from the propeller many times, had to call subaqua divers for help twice, been towed because the water is too shallow to use the propeller, and generally had to battle all the way. Encouragement is needed!